The works are all untitled.
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Sara Ulfsparre is an artist, mainly self taught. She was born in Sweden, came to London in her early twenties (1997) and has lived and worked here ever since.
Ulfsparre creates soft sculptures using needle felted wool. She’s currently focussing on cylindrical solid shapes, which are used to essentially draw three-dimensionally, in felt, creating the sculptures in lines, netting and gridding them to form structures and a delicate semblance of (sometimes precariously floppy) structural integrity.
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The creation process for her is almost magical – taking a piece of fluffy, discombobulated wool and, using only a felting needle (stabbing it multiple times), soft, squishy, yet firm, solid shapes are formed. She works instinctively, making shapes that obsess or pre-occupy her at the time. The scalariform, or ladder shape/symbol, if holds a particular fascination for her at the current moment. An abstract, yet concrete shape of vertical and horizontal lines, that combine to create a formal structure.
Ulfsparre is inspired by organic shapes in nature, prehistoric cave art, andFolk Art created by indigenous cultures in all eras. Her work is process oriented, and explores form, colour, material and ambiguity of meaning.
“In early 2020, the ladder shape started appearing in my work, first in gouache paintings, and then as three-dimensional felt drawings. This led me to an exploration of line and material, making both works to be mounted on the wall and free-standing wool sculptures. When I found Small House Gallery on Instagram, I jumped at the opportunity to scale down my three dimensional felt drawings for a show in the Cottage, and thereby see what they would look like on a larger scale, and in an unusual space. The wool works, grouped together with mono prints and stitched drawings, invite the viewer into an ambiguous narrative and enigmatic space.”
Sara Ulfsparre, talking about her proposed works for Small House Gallery in 2021
For Sales Enquiries, contact the artist directly or for an introduction contact us here.
“I have recently learnt that a ladder symbol found painted on a cave wall in Spain can be dated back 65,000 years. The ladder symbol predates language, and is as old as mankind. For me it can embody human emotions and represent states of being. For others, it can symbolise escape, or ascending/descending.”
Sara Ulfsparre, on the ladder motif in her ‘Threshold’ show
Sara Ulfsparre, being a mainly self-taught artist, has developed her practice in a variety of mediums and materials, which include drawing, painting, collage and needle felted soft sculpture. Inspired by pre-historic cave art, symbolism and Jungian psychology, and with a strong visual language, Sara creates mysterious and playful art works.
Small House Gallery 
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